Abstract
Backgrounds : This study reports the results of a questionnaire survey conducted in the households consisting of inhabitants of Fukushima Prefecture who have evacuated to Saitama Prefecture or Tokyo Metropolis at one and two years after the Great East Japan Earthquake. The Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 has been expanded to the nuclear power plant disaster. Consequently, approximately 56,920 inhabitants of Fukushima evacuated to other prefectures as of March 2013. This consequence sets the 2011 earthquake apart from previous natural disasters. Method : This survey was conducted by “Earthquake and human sciences project” of Waseda University and Shinsai Shien Network Saitama. Psychological stress of the evacuees (2,011 households in 2012 ; 1,875 households in Saitama and 2,393 households in Tokyo in 2013) were examined one year and two years after the disaster respectively. The questionnaire also contained such items as severity of housing destruction, Tsunami affection, worries about livelihood sustainability etc. In this study, psychological stress was measured using the Stress Response Scale-18 (SRS-18). Results : The results revealed that the stress reaction level of the evacuees from Fukushima Prefecture living in other prefectures is still “somewhat higher” despite two years passed since the disaster. A chi-square test was used to determine psychosocial factors influencing stress reactions. Results of the survey in 2012 revealed that anxiety about living costs or joblessness influenced stress reactions in men, whereas damaged houses, personal relationships, and compensation problems related to the nuclear power plant influenced stress reactions in women. However, according to the results of the 2013 survey, difficult economic conditions, aggravated health conditions, negative labeling as an evacuee, and dissatisfaction with relationships with family and neighbors influenced stress reactions in both men and women. Conclusion : The results revealed that the psychological stress is strongly related to several social factors ; economic conditions, health status, family and community relationships, and dwelling environments. By the comparison between first year result and second year result, the causes of stressors have been changed from the damage of earthquake disaster itself into the circumstances of shelter life over time. Therefore, the work in cooperation among medicine, clinical psychology, social welfare, and legal support is necessary in order to obtain mental health recovery.
